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The
biggest challenge for Muslim entrepreneurs involved
with the western markets, specifically the United
States, is managing their media image. Post 9/11,
the growing negative image is becoming a major
inhibitor for doing business in the United States,
and the rest of the world.
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"When
a group is too weak to assert its own interpretation
about its history then others take the lead
in presenting it. That is precisely what is
happening to us." |
"Taking
a Continous Battering"
Here
in the United States, the Muslim community is
growing at a fast pace. A recent survey pointed
out that the combined output of Pakistani Americans,
a major section of the Muslim community in the
United States, in pure financial terms now equals
the GDP of Pakistan. It is indeed gratifying to
note that we have excelled as individuals in a
society based on the puritan ethics of hard work
and service with dedication. However we live in
complex times, and today our self image is dependent
upon more than our personal success. And it is
our collective image that is continuously taking
a battering. The media machine is at the center
of this onslaught on our identity both as Muslims
and as Pakistanis. The same rule applies for almost
all Muslim communities.
"Dinner
Discussions Dedicated to this Topic"
Unfortunately,
to this date we Muslims have failed to interact
with the American media. So it is no wonder that
we have emerged as its helpless victims. It is
not that we are not aware of this predicament.
Not
only are dinner discussions dedicated to this
topic, even iftars during Ramadan are filled with
frustrated analysis and suggestions to the problem
we face. But
then our individualistic efforts never move beyond
this stage. If we don't have a collective plan
to deal with this problem then, is it surprising
that day after day articles and editorials take
unbridled freedom in describing us in any way
they please?
Media
is Influenced
The
media is not a simple reflection of external realities.
Far from it, the media continuously assembles
and repackages facts and presents them as if they
are a spontaneous happening according to its agenda.
It is also to a great extent driven by special
interest groups that pursue their agendas by controlling
the dissemination of information. And all of us
know there are such groups, within the United
States, that have a strong vested interest in
mis-presenting us as people and shaping perceptions
in a way that brings us out as bad or evil.
Very
Dangerous Situation
This
is a dangerous situation. If we still fail to
come out to defend ourselves then the noose will
continue to tighten around our necks. We need
to engage the editors of newspapers and producers
of television programs, in a civic but assertive
manner, so that they know that we are here, are
sensitive to their propaganda and are mindful
of the way they are presenting us.
And
remember much of the comments are based on plain
ignorance. It is specially the responsibility
of the American Muslims, or even those who regularly
engage with the US as business people, students
or foreign workers. It is time to raise our distinct
voices to let them know that we have matured from
the stage of individuals to that of a community
that is an important part of the American mosaic
and is proud of its role in the world.
Noam
Chomsky said, "Citizens of the democratic societies
should undertake a course of intellectual self-defense
to protect themselves from manipulation and control,
and to lay the basis for meaningful democracy."
The only way this can be achieved is through media
awareness. It is important to understand that
every community and interest group has its own
view about the process of history. And when a
group is too weak to assert its own interpretation
about its history then others take the lead in
presenting it. That is precisely what is happening
to us. We are now being pushed into a corner of
subordination by the manufacture of a specific
point of view by the U.S media.
Pro-actively
Engaging the Media Works!
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Media
Panel at Organization of Pakistani Entrepreneurs
of North America's (OPEN) Conference "New
Beginnings" : (l to r) Prof. Azim Nanji (Stanford)
Dr.Dr. Ali Minai, and Mr. Asif Alam of the
AOPP with Mr. Hammad Nasar as Moderator. |
It
is precisely for this reason that the Muslim community,
specifically the business community within it,
needs to be pro-active in finding ways to engage
the media machine.
First,
we need to distinguish between facts and opinions,
ask ourselves if what we are seeing and hearing
is reality. The second step we need is to react
by writing to respective media outlets everytime
we come across anything questionable. We need
to tell them that an alternate view also exists;
reality is always multidimensional. Believe me
it works!
Consider
the following example. A leading newspaper printed
an investigative report suggesting that Pakistan
is transferring nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia.
The AOPP (the Pakistani media think-tank
that I am involved with) contacted the publisher
and asked for the reasoning of publishing such
an article with so many unnamed sources. In our
communication, we insisted that the publication,
which prides itself on high standards of objectivity
along with a fiercely opinionated approach, could
not be carrying out an agenda of misinforming
its own readers.
We
insisted that misinformation is exactly what is
being propagated when a reader- a banker in Japan,
an oilman in Texas, a business man in Malaysia
or Taiwan in the rush of his work glances across
such skewed pieces he is not being informed-he
is being misinformed.
Two
weeks later, the newspaper wrote another article
suggesting that, Pakistan would provide nuclear
deterents to Saudi Arabia if somebody attacks
the Kingdom. In our private email's, the author
accepted that he misunderstood the information
he received from "his friends in Pakistan."
Similarly,
we need to move in other areas; if we have to
change our image then we need to brand ourselves
as a different community by creating platforms
where we can display our arts, music and literature
and where we can bring forward our community leaders
and professionals who have achieved prominence
in different walks of life.
It
is imperative that we role up our sleeves and
participate actively in projecting and presenting
the true and complete picture of our community
as dynamic entrepreneurs with a solid image model
based on perception and realties derived by us,
not them.
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